How do I enter the Great North Run 2027 ballot?

When does the Great North Run 2027 ballot open?

The September Ballot for the 2027 race (Sunday 12 September 2027) is confirmed open on greatrun.org, which states: "Enter the September Ballot before midnight on Sunday 20 September for your chance to part of it all in 2027." The close date and time are exact: 23:59 on Sunday 20 September 2026. The draw follows the next day, Monday 21 September 2026. No exact opening date is published on the organiser's page, only that entries are being accepted now.

The 2025-2026 cycle also ran a second round, a general ballot the following January, after its September round closed. Whether 2027 gets a second round is not yet confirmed: greatrun.org's current page does not mention one. Our Great North Run 2027 record tracks this and updates the moment the organiser says more.

Why might there be two ballots for one race?

Because the organiser has done it before. The 2025-2026 cycle ran a September ballot around the previous year's race, and then a general ballot the following January.

For the 2026 race that meant two separate chances: a September 2025 round that opened at 08:00 on 3 September 2025, closed at midnight on 14 September 2025 and was drawn the next day, and a general ballot that closed at midnight on 11 January 2026 and was drawn on 12 January 2026. Both were free, and entering one did not stop you entering the other if the first did not come off.

If that pattern repeats for 2027, missing the September round would not mean a year's wait: the next chance would be a few months away, in January. But that is a pattern from the prior cycle, not a confirmed plan for 2027, so enter the September Ballot now rather than count on a second round arriving.

What does it cost to enter, and when am I charged?

Entering is free. The GBP 70 entry fee is only taken if you are selected.

The mechanic catches people out, so it is worth being precise. You lodge card details when you apply, and your bank may show an authorisation hold against the card while the ballot is live. That hold is not the fee. If you are drawn, the entry fee is taken from that card. If you are not drawn, nothing is charged and the hold is released.

What are my chances in the Great North Run ballot?

Unknown, and honestly so. The organiser does not publish how many ballot applications it receives, so any specific success rate you see quoted is somebody's guess.

The scale is public, though. The 2026 race has 63,000 places, the biggest field in the event's 45 years, and it is still oversubscribed. The organiser's own channels described the January 2026 round as its biggest ever. A race that grows its field and still has to run a draw is a race where the draw matters.

If you want the honest version of how to improve your position across any draw like this one, our guide on improving your ballot chances covers what genuinely helps and what does not.

What are the routes that skip the ballot?

Three, and each one costs something.

Great North Run membership carries guaranteed entry, so members do not enter the draw at all. Charity places are guaranteed in exchange for a fundraising commitment, which is a real obligation rather than a formality. Elite entry is by qualifying standard.

The ballot remains the only free route into the race, which is why it is worth entering it even if you are also talking to a charity.

What should I do now?

Enter the September Ballot at greatrun.org before 23:59 on Sunday 20 September 2026. It is free to apply, and applying on day one gives you the same odds as applying on the last day, so there is no advantage to rushing beyond making sure you do not miss the deadline. Then track the result date from our Great North Run 2027 record, which we update the moment anything changes, including whether a second, January round is confirmed.

Everything on this page traces to the official Great Run pages and support articles listed below. We are not affiliated with the event, and we never charge for any of it.